llamaswriting

Weekly developer's blog

There's not much to report: I finished and posted the Knight tier short story and I'm currently working on the second story of the month featuring Arthur.

Uther’s legacy

Lord Merlin gathered his papers, smoothed down his coat, and headed for the king’s quarters. He paused before the door, ears peaked for any sound from within.

One never knew what they’d find in Uther’s chambers in the morning: empty bottles and drunken revelers strewn across the floor – a battlefield where the foe was sobriety – or disheveled young women slipping out the door. The king took pride in such displays; it left Merlin unimpressed. So he was grateful to find Uther al...

Weekly developer's blog

Hi folks! I haven't made much progress with the demo since the last devlog I posted due to reoccurring issues with my hands. I'm currently seeking further medical help to get to the bottom of it, and I may even have to take next month off. But for May I will complete the two short stories and update the demo with what I manage to write.

On that note, I am almost done with the Knight tier short story which features Merlin's POV. Looking forward to sharing it with you!

Second short story poll

Arthur won! Time to vote on the Mordred to be featured in this month's second short story.

The sweet, gentle, patient type will be sitting out on this poll since they won last time Arthur was chosen.

Short story poll

This month we're choosing from friends/family/Lot, who can't claim the first and the only thing making him the second one is a piece of paper. Note: Gareth won previously so he's not going to be featured on this poll, but he will return for voting next time!

Sneak peek

"Ah!" Percival perks up like a hound - an old, wobbly-footed, drunk hound - catching whiff of prey. "Look at them coming along now! Done smashing faces?"

Quick notice

Just a reminder that the Royal Sorcerer minigame is still postponed.

Weekly developer's blog

I've been working on the demo - specifically, on a conversation taking place at the table, concerning knighthood. Planting the seeds of some ideas that'll be explored later 👀 I do have a rough draft of it, that I'm currently working off. I say the scene is shaping up nicely!

Serenading Gawain

You’ve been working on this song for weeks. You need it to be perfect – or at the very least, not make you look like an utter fool.

You’ve written songs before, composed tunes you’d hum with confidence and made up lyrics you’d repeat with pride (there are those that you can extend less grace to, though, but that’s not a very helpful thought right now). Few of those songs felt as urgent or portentous as this current one – many were created only for yourself to listen to, po...

Weekly developer's blog

Hi folks! I've still mostly rested my hands in the last week, but I've also finally managed to get some work done! The Champion Knight tier short story is finished and will be published sometime tomorrow.

To be honest, I won't be making a demo update this end of the month. It's not officially one of the perks, but it is a personal ambition of mine - and it's not that there isn't any new content, it's just that I don't think it's enough yet to warrant posting (just some gossiping going ...

Weekly developer's blog

Hi folks! So, I haven't had a lot of time to work on the demo (was on the road, then letting my hands recover from that) but I did plan out the Gawain short story (Champion Knight tier and above) and will get to writing it as soon as I can!

Weekly developer's blog

So sorry for coming in late with the weekly blog! Almost every time I update the demo I forget about them.

So, yes, Galahad's and Nimue's complete dance scenes have been added, and I've continued working on the next bits of the demo. We get brief appearances from Sirs Percival and Bronwyn.

Also, been thinking about future plot points of book 1, fleshing out some arcs and events. There's a very important change I've decided to make which I don't think I've talked about before, thou...

Lot and Uther talk over drinks

Uther downed his glass, slammed it down on the table and smacked his lips delightedly. “Ah, that’s the good stuff. Camelotian cherry brandy, the best that you’ll ever find. Better even than your Lothian plum brandy, my friend, you have to admit.” A brassy guffaw exploded from him, with no intention to soften the insult.

Funny that, Lot thought, funny that everything on the Continent was Camelotian, except when it wasn't – when the meaning was restricted to only that r...

Second short story poll

Gawain won! Time to vote on the type of Mordred to be featured.

Small demo update

The demo was updated with Galahad's remaining choices and Nimue's dance scene. Same password. Enjoy!

April short story poll

Time to vote on the RO to be featured in the second short story of the month! Since Galahad won last time, he will be sitting out on this poll.

Weekly developer's blog

Alright, Galahad's all dancing variations are now done, overall - I still need to go over them for bugs and typos, will make a post when the demo is updated. In any case, I can move onto Nimue's scene next!

I think I've also made up my mind about this month's short story (Knight tier and above); thinking we could take a trip back into Lot's mind...and see some more of him and his complicated friendship with Uther.

Quick Announcement

Hi folks! I will be postponing the mini-game for another month since I don't want to push myself too much yet (due to the hand injury) and I'd rather put my energy towards the demo itself. I'm sorry that the mini-game has been pushed back so long. I will be adding a note to the Royal Sorcerer tier description to make it clear the perk is currently on hold, but keeping it available for anyone who wants to access the mini-game backlog.

Demo update

What's new?

-More of chapter 5! (it's a big one)

-Make small talk with Galahad, insult him (before the food has even arrived!) or simply ignore him

-Get on the dancefloor!*

*note: unfortunately, i haven't managed to finish all of Galahad's dance options (half of them are finished and included in this update though, two very fine choices of "i bet you can't even dance" or a friendly invitation) and Nimue's isn't at all in the demo yet...

Sitting by the apple tree with Gareth

You like to think yourself as nimble as a squirrel. Though unlike the furry critters, who climb by dint of their claws, sharp and smart, you must make strategic use of branches and hollows. You know well by now how to do it, quickly and safely – the latter of which Morgana and Accolon put great emphasis on, though you don’t entirely get their concern – know how to test the sturdiness of boughs, how to swing your weight around.

So when you see the apples, hanging red and ripe and h...

Weekly developer's blog

Gawain's and Elaine's dance scene are done; now I'm working on Galahad's and Nimue's, both of which are roughly drafted in my voice memos. It's going well; honestly, I've had some notes about Gally's dance scene for so long, I'm excited to finally get to these parts, and I hope you'll all enjoy them too!

Also, the second short story (for Champion Knight tier and above) is coming later this week!

Morgana contemplates matters

Morgana's hand moved across the page in bursts of rapid, decisive, aggressive motions. It paused, a contemplative lull; then it was back in motion, thumb making artful smudges, charcoal stick tracing sweeping, dramatic lines in a furious, droning scratch.

Her vision was slowly coming together, an image half-remembered, half-dreamed, rendered in shades of storm gray. Violent, hungry waves like the maw of a huge beast, clasping down viciously on a ship that once thought itself great and i...

Weekly developer's blog

I've been working on the demo - on some dancing scenes, to be more specific. Gawain's scene, with all its variations, is done and I'm currently on Elaine's. It's basically all drafted, just needs to be chiseled and coded. 

The short story is also coming later this week!

Sneak peek

You wait for him to elaborate, tracing circles on the slippery, smooth chiffon while you watch him, hoping your expression alone - open, hopeful, affable - might drag the words out his mouth. Galahad glances away, grabs for the goblet before him and brings it almost all the way to his lips before realizing it's empty, and that there are no pitchers or bottles to be found anywhere near yet. He refuses to put the cup down now, though, holding it up as if he meant to do this all along. In lieu o...

Weekly developer's blog

I've finished the Galahad scene I mentioned last week! So much...variety in his interaction, lol. From trying to make small talk to outright insulting him, if you're feeling particularly waspish. 

I've also been working on the Knight tier short story, which is from Morgana's POV and mostly introspective. It's almost done, but of course I still have editing left to do.

That's all for now!

March short story second poll

Gareth won! Time to vote on the type of Mordred to be featured. This month we're going to do things a little bit different, spice up the poll. I'll be including options for more distant/antagonistic relationships with Gareth. I'm curious what the results will look like! (Sweet Mordred with a close relationship with Gareth also won last time so it's off the poll this round)